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Scottish government confirms Ebola case in Glasgow Scottish government confirms Ebola case in Glasgow
(35 minutes later)
A health-care worker who recently returned to Scotland from West Africa has been diagnosed with Ebola, the Scottish government said on Monday. LONDON — A health-care worker who recently returned to Scotland from West Africa has been diagnosed with Ebola, the Scottish government said on Monday.
The patient has been isolated and is receiving treatment at the Brownlee Unit for Infectious Diseases on the Gartnavel Hospital campus in Glasgow. The female patient has been isolated and is receiving treatment at the Brownlee Unit for Infectious Diseases on the Gartnavel Hospital campus in Glasgow. In a televised press conference Monday night, one of the nurse’s doctors, Alisdair MacConnachie, said the patient was “clinically stable” and had a “good prognosis.”
The patient returned late on Sunday night from Sierra Leone, traveling through Casablanca and London Heathrow Airport. The patient’s British Airways flight landed in Glasgow at about 11:30 p.m. local time, according to the government’s statement. The patient was admitted to the hospital early Monday morning after identifying herself as having a fever. She arrived at the hospital using a specialist ambulance service and was placed into isolation at 7:50 a.m. local time, the government’s statement reads. Officials are investigating and monitoring “all possible contacts” with the patient.
“The patient was admitted to hospital early in the morning after feeling unwell and was placed into isolation at 7.50am,” the statement continues. Officials are investigating and monitoring “all possible contacts” with the patient. The patient was an employee of NHS Scotland and was working at an Ebola treatment center in Kerry Town, Sierra Leone, a spokesperson for Save the Children UK confirmed to The Post. Save the Children manages the Kerry Town facility. The nurse arrived in Sierra Leone in November, the spokesperson added.
The patient was an employee of NHS Scotland who was working at an Ebola treatment center in Kerry Town, Sierra Leone, a spokesperson for Save the Children UK confirmed to The Post. Save the Children manages the Kerry Town facility. The nurse, identified by the charity as female, arrived in Sierra Leone in November, the spokesperson added. The patient returned late on Sunday night from Sierra Leone, traveling through Casablanca and London Heathrow Airport. The patient’s British Airways flight landed in Glasgow at about 11:30 p.m. local time, the government said.
In an email, a spokesman for the Scottish government declined to provide additional details on the patient, citing patient confidentiality. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed to reporters that there were 71 passengers on board British Airways flight 1478, which the patient took from Heathrow to Glasgow. All passengers from the patient’s earlier flights will be contacted and advised as a “precautionary measure,” Sturgeon added.
The statement adds that the patient was “diagnosed in the very early stages of the illness,” and the risk of transmission to others was “extremely low.” In an emailed statement, British Airways said the airline was “working closely with the health authorities in England and Scotland and will offer assistance with any information they require,” and encouraged anyone on board the Glasgow-bound flight with concerns to contact the Scottish Government’s hotline for the Ebola case. However, the statement said, “the risk to people on board that individual flight is extremely low.”
Government officials stressed that the nurse was “diagnosed in the very early stages of the illness,” and the risk of transmission to others was “extremely low.”
“This is not a disease you can contract by simply sitting next to somebody who has it,” Sturgeon said to reporters. “Contact, personal contact with bodily fluids, is required. This patient was not displaying the kind of symptoms that would have posed a risk to other people when she was en route back to Scotland and that I think is the principle source of reassurance we can give.”
Sturgeon added that the patient is thought to have contact with just one other person since returning to Scotland late on Sunday.
In an email, a spokesman for the Scottish government declined to provide additional details on the patient, citing patient confidentiality.
Ebola case. Public health experts have emphasised risks are negligible. Helpline for anyone on the Heathrow to Glasgow flight: 08000 858 531 — Scottish Government (@scotgov) December 29, 2014Ebola case. Public health experts have emphasised risks are negligible. Helpline for anyone on the Heathrow to Glasgow flight: 08000 858 531 — Scottish Government (@scotgov) December 29, 2014
Ebola case. Public health experts have emphasised risks are negligible. Helpline for anyone on the Heathrow to Glasgow flight: 08000 858 531Ebola case. Public health experts have emphasised risks are negligible. Helpline for anyone on the Heathrow to Glasgow flight: 08000 858 531
— Scottish Government (@scotgov) December 29, 2014— Scottish Government (@scotgov) December 29, 2014
NHS Scotland told the BBC that infectious diseases procedures were in effect. Existing procedures for Ebola cases in the United Kingdom require that patients be transferred to London’s Royal Free Hospital, which is best-suited to “ensure the best quality and safest care” for Ebola cases. That will happen “as soon as possible” for the Glasgow case, the Scottish government said. Existing procedures for Ebola cases in the United Kingdom require that patients be transferred to London’s Royal Free Hospital, which is best suited to “ensure the best quality and safest care” for Ebola cases. That will happen “as soon as possible” for the Glasgow case, the Scottish government said.
The Ebola epidemic has mostly affected the West African countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, where a combined total of 20,081 cases (including 7,842 deaths) have been recorded, according to the World Health Organization.The Ebola epidemic has mostly affected the West African countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, where a combined total of 20,081 cases (including 7,842 deaths) have been recorded, according to the World Health Organization.
Only five additional countries had reported cases during the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history before Monday. The positive diagnosis in Scotland is the second in Europe this year; Teresa Romero Ramos, a Spanish nursing assistant, contracted the deadly virus in October after treating an Ebola-stricken priest who had been repatriated from Sierra Leone. Ramos survived and Spain was declared Ebola-free in November.Only five additional countries had reported cases during the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history before Monday. The positive diagnosis in Scotland is the second in Europe this year; Teresa Romero Ramos, a Spanish nursing assistant, contracted the deadly virus in October after treating an Ebola-stricken priest who had been repatriated from Sierra Leone. Ramos survived and Spain was declared Ebola-free in November.
Earlier this year, a British nurse became the first Briton to contract Ebola. William Pooley recovered from the illness after being flown from Sierra Leone to London, where he received an experimental treatment of the drug ZMapp. Earlier this year, a male nurse became the first Briton to contract Ebola. William Pooley recovered from the illness after being flown from Sierra Leone to London, where he received an experimental treatment of the drug ZMapp. He has since returned to work in West Africa.
[This post has been updated.] Ohlheiser reported from Washington.
[This post has been updated multiple times.]
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